Czech Foreign Ministry on planned border blockades

The Czech foreign ministry has called on Austrian anti-nuclear activists to re- consider their plans to effect further border blockades in protest against the Temelin nuclear power plant in south Bohemia. Foreign ministry spokesman Ales Pospisil said on Tuesday that the Czech Republic was acting in line with an agreement which the two countries' heads of government signed in Melk at the end of last year and he asked Austrian anti-nuclear activists to respect that understanding. The agreement, which was sealed in the presence of representatives of the European Commission, commits the Czech side to clearing up a number of security concerns linked to the nuclear power station and producing an environment-impact study before putting Temelin into commercial operation. Austrian anti-nuclear activists suspect that Prague may not be fulfilling its part of the deal and have demanded a report on how the environment impact study is progressing. The blockades of two border crossings - Wullowitz and Weigetschlag - are to be effected from February 16th to February 18th.